AFSCME Corrections Officers Honored for Workplace Safety Improvements

Connecticut Corrections Officers Recognized for Workplace Safety Initiatives

In Connecticut, corrections officers from three AFSCME locals have been recognized for their efforts to enhance workplace safety, demonstrating their commitment to protecting both staff and inmates.

Each April 28, Workers Memorial Day serves as a somber reminder of the workers who have lost their lives, suffered injuries, or fallen ill due to their jobs. The Connecticut AFL-CIO holds a commemorative event in Hartford to honor these individuals and those actively working to prevent such tragedies.

This year, the Connecticut AFL-CIO Health and Safety Committee acknowledged AFSCME Locals 387, 391, and 1565, all affiliated with Council 4, for their advocacy in improving safety measures at the Connecticut Department of Correction.

Jeremie St. Pierre, president of Local 387 and a correctional officer at the Cheshire Correctional Complex, highlighted the impact of their advocacy: “Due to the coordinated advocacy of all three AFSCME DOC locals, the Department of Correction finally chose to begin the implementation of mail scanners and body scanners in select correctional institutions — critical technology that, when it is utilized in every facility within the CTDOC, will make correctional officers and staff, as well as inmates, exponentially safer.”

St. Pierre also emphasized the unique solidarity shared by correctional officers, saying, “Correctional officers live solidarity in a way that most can only hope to understand. Every day, they put their lives on the line for others, trusting that their brothers and sisters in uniform will be there beside them. That bond is sacred. It's not built on empty words, but on the shared experience of risking their lives in service to their community, with long nights on the job and split-second moments.”

State Sen. Julie Kushner was another honoree at the event, receiving the Connecticut AFL-CIO’s Legislative Health & Safety Award for her long-standing dedication to worker health and safety. As chair of the Labor & Public Employees Committee, she sponsored SB 660 in 2021, which expanded post-traumatic stress injury coverage to Department of Correction employees, 911 dispatchers, and EMS personnel.

National Correctional Officers and Employees Week recently took place, celebrating the essential role of corrections professionals in public safety and acknowledging their contributions behind the scenes. Despite these recognitions, the industry continues to face challenges such as short-staffing issues.

Reflecting on Workers’ Memorial Day last month, it's crucial to remember the staggering loss of workers due to job-related incidents. In 2024, 5,070 individuals were killed at work in the United States, including public service workers. Connecticut alone mourned the loss of 41 workers in 2024 due to work-related injuries.

Public safety professionals continue to rally under AFSCME to advocate for improved working conditions, fair wages, quality healthcare, and retirement security. These efforts are crucial as AFSCME members across corrections, law enforcement, and emergency response sectors strive to safeguard freedoms and protect communities.